Ashes heroes inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today inducted three Ashes heroes --Tom Graveney and Peter May of England and Ian Chappell of Australia -- into its Cricket Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony was held during the tea break of the first Test between England and Australia.

"Commemorative caps were presented to Graveney, Chappell and May's widow Virginia by the ICC President David Morgan, ECB chairman and ICC director Giles Clarke and former Australia captain and CA Director Allan Border," an ICC release said.

Graveney, May and Chappell are part of a group of 22 Englishmen and 13 Australians within the initial intake of 55 players in the Hall of Fame, a joint venture between the ICC and the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA).

In a career spanning 18 years, Graveney played 79 Tests for England, scoring 4,882 runs, including 11 centuries and finished with an average of 44.83.

Speaking on his induction Graveney said, "My initial reaction was that I must have been the last of the 55 to have been picked."

"It is an enormous honour and I feel very fortunate. When you look at the list it is so special and to see some of the great players that I played with and against on that list makes me especially proud," he added.

May played 66 Tests for England in a career spanning 10 years, scoring 4,537 runs, including 13 centuries and finished with an average of 46.77. He also captained England in a then-record 41 Tests, winning 20 and losing only 10.

He died at his home in Hampshire on December 27, 1994, four days short of his 65th birthday.

May's widow, Virginia, received the cap on behalf of her husband.

"It's a great honour and I am very proud to collect the cap on Peter's behalf. I wish he was here to collect it himself as I know he would also have been very proud," she said.

Ian Chappell appeared in 75 Tests from 1964 to 1980, scoring 5,345 runs, including 14 centuries and finished with an average of 42.42.

Commenting on his induction, Chappell said," To find yourself in a list that includes such great players is satisfying and humbling.